|
Anatole Kuragin was staying in Moscow because his father had
sent him away from Petersburg, where he had been spending twenty
thousand rubles a year in cash, besides running up debts for as
much more, which his creditors demanded from his father.
His father announced to him that he would now pay half his
debts for the last time, but only on condition that he went to
Moscow as adjutant to the commander in chief- a post his father
had procured for him- and would at last try to make a good match
there. He indicated to him Princess Mary and Julie Karagina.
Anatole consented and went to Moscow, where he put up at Pierre's
house. Pierre received him unwillingly at first, but got used
to him after a while, sometimes even accompanied him on his carousals,
and gave him money under the guise of loans.
As Shinshin had remarked, from the time of his arrival Anatole
had turned the heads of the Moscow ladies, especially by the fact
that he slighted them and plainly preferred the gypsy girls and
French actresses- with the chief of whom, Mademoiselle George,
he was said to be on intimate relations. He had never missed a
carousal at Danilov's or other Moscow revelers', drank whole nights
through, outvying everyone else, and was at all the balls and
parties of the best society. There was talk of his intrigues with
some of the ladies, and he flirted with a few of them at the balls.
But he did not run after the unmarried girls, especially the rich
heiresses who were most of them plain. There was a special reason
for this, as he had got married two years before- a fact known
only to his most intimate friends. At that time while with his
regiment in Poland, a Polish landowner of small means had forced
him to marry his daughter. Anatole had very soon abandoned his
wife and, for a payment which he agreed to send to his father-in-law,
had arranged to be free to pass himself off as a bachelor.
Anatole was always content with his position, with himself,
and with others. He was instinctively and thoroughly convinced
that was impossible for him to live otherwise than as he did and
that he had never in his life done anything base. He was incapable
of considering how his actions might affect others or what the
consequences of this or that action of his might be. He was convinced
that, as a duck is so made that it must live in water, so God
had made him such that he must spend thirty thousand rubles a
year and always occupy a prominent position in society. He believed
this so firmly that others, looking at him, were persuaded of
it too and did not refuse him either a leading place in society
or money, which he borrowed from anyone and everyone and evidently
would not repay.
He was not a gambler, at any rate he did not care about winning.
He was not vain. He did not mind what people thought of him. Still
less could he be accused of ambition. More than once he had vexed
his father by spoiling his own career, and he laughed at distinctions
of all kinds. He was not mean, and did not refuse anyone who asked
of him. All he cared about was gaiety and women, and as according
to his ideas there was nothing dishonorable in these tastes, and
he was incapable of considering what the gratification of his
tastes entailed for others, he honestly considered himself irreproachable,
sincerely despised rogues and bad people, and with a tranquil
conscience carried his head high.
Rakes, those male Magdalenes, have a secret feeling of innocence
similar to that which female Magdalenes have, based on the same
hope of forgiveness. "All will be forgiven her, for she loved
much; and all will be forgiven him, for he enjoyed much."
Dolokhov, who had reappeared that year in Moscow after his
exile and his Persian adventures, and was leading a life of luxury,
gambling, and dissipation, associated with his old Petersburg
comrade Kuragin and made use of him for his own ends.
Anatole was sincerely fond of Dolokhov for his cleverness
and audacity. Dolokhov, who needed Anatole Kuragin's name, position,
and connections as a bait to draw rich young men into his gambling
set, made use of him and amused himself at his expense without
letting the other feel it. Apart from the advantage he derived
from Anatole, the very process of dominating another's will was
in itself a pleasure, a habit, and a necessity to Dolokhov.
Natasha had made a strong impression on Kuragin. At supper
after the opera he described to Dolokhov with the air of a connoisseur
the attractions of her arms, shoulders, feet, and hair and expressed
his intention of making love to her. Anatole had no notion and
was incapable of considering what might come of such love-making,
as he never had any notion of the outcome of any of his actions.
"She's first-rate, my dear fellow, but not for us,"
replied Dolokhov.
"I will tell my sister to ask her to dinner," said
Anatole. "Eh?"
"You'd better wait till she's married...."
"You know, I adore little girls, they lose their heads
at once," pursued Anatole.
"You have been caught once already by a 'little girl,'"
said Dolokhov who knew of Kuragin's marriage. "Take care!"
"Well, that can't happen twice! Eh?" said Anatole,
with a good-humored laugh.
|
